Abraham Lincoln’s Legacy in Springfield: Preserving the Man Behind the Monument

Springfield, Illinois, offers a unique lens through which to view Abraham Lincoln, not as the towering figure of history but as a self-taught lawyer whose journey from the Illinois frontier shaped the nation’s most pivotal moments. Park rangers and volunteers at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum work to humanize the 16th president, emphasizing his principles of fairness and his complex, relatable character.

The Role of Park Rangers in Shaping Lincoln’s Story

Joseph Tonjes, a park ranger at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, guides visitors through the preserved rooms of Lincoln’s Springfield home, highlighting the everyday moments that defined his life. “It takes him off his pedestal,” Tonjes says, describing how the home’s original furniture and layout reveal Lincoln as a man of ordinary beginnings. Visitors learn about his sons’ roughhousing, his habit of bringing stray cats home, and the family’s grief over a child’s death—all contrasting with the iconic image of the president.

Tonjes, a recent graduate of Suffolk University with a degree in history and philosophy, credits his family road trips through national parks with sparking his career in the National Park Service. “Here, it’s kind of like — this is where he is as a lawyer, in that in-between period when he really goes from a person from the Illinois frontier into the great figure we think of,” he explains.

Volunteers: Keepers of Lincoln’s Everyday Legacy

Herb Higgs, a retired agricultural fair manager, volunteers at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, where he has come to appreciate the rangers’ dedication. “Lincoln has been canonized in many respects,” Higgs says. “He was an ordinary person who wound up doing an extraordinary thing.” His perspective reflects the broader mission of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, which aims to connect visitors with Lincoln’s story through programs like “Lincoln on 66,” a campaign launching in June 2026 to align with Route 66’s centennial and America’s 250th anniversary.

Park Ranger Danny Guttas, a Springfield native, emphasizes Lincoln’s commitment to economic fairness. “That theme of everybody being able to get the rewards for the work that they put in… is what Lincoln’s biggest inspiration to me would be,” Guttas says. His focus on Lincoln’s labor-reward principles underscores the site’s effort to present the president as a pragmatic yet principled leader.

Preserving History Through Volunteer Efforts

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which opened in 2005, relies on nearly 600 volunteers who contribute 35,000 hours annually. Richard Schuldt, a volunteer for 12.5 years, highlights Lincoln’s adherence to principle under pressure. “He’s a politician, a pragmatist, but he also had principles,” Schuldt says, citing Lincoln’s 1861 speech at Independence Hall. Becky Pruitt, another volunteer, admires Lincoln’s lack of grudges, noting, “He did not hold grudges… and these are qualities that serve us as a country well.”

Connecting Past and Present

As Route 66 celebrates its 100th year, Springfield’s institutions are positioning Lincoln’s story as a complementary narrative for travelers. Sarah Watson, CEO of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, says the goal is to invite visitors to explore “the Illinois story” of “who’s that man?”—a bumpkin who became president. With communities along the route already drawing travelers for the road’s mythology, the coalition seeks to deepen engagement with Lincoln’s legacy.

For visitors, the experience is both educational and personal. As Schuldt notes, “If we could just have more of that [qualities], I think we’d be in better shape today.” The rangers and volunteers ensure that Lincoln’s story remains not just a historical account but a living conversation about fairness, opportunity, and the enduring impact of one man’s journey.